1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to mops for cleaning and waxing floors.
2. Prior Art
Most hard floors in commercial spaces such as retail stores and business offices are waxed periodically. The simplest and most commonly used method is comprised of filling a bucket with a wax solution, dipping a mop into the solution, and spreading the solution on the floor by moving the mop in a figure xe2x80x9c8xe2x80x9d pattern. The primary drawback of this method is that a lot of solution is initially put down by the dripping wet mop after dipping, but as the solution is spread out by the mop, it is gradually thinned out until the next dip. The resulting coating is uneven and tends to be thicker than necessary at some areas and too thin at other areas. Since the bucket is left on the floor, the worker would get farther and farther away as the mopping progresses, and has to walk back over the wet floor to dip the mop or to move the bucket closer. If the mop is used on a dirty floor, the solution would get dirty when the mop is dipped into it. The thicker parts of the uneven wax coating take longer to dry and remain very slippery when still wet.
Various other mops are known among the prior art. One disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,471 to Sloan is comprised of a rigid head on the end of a long handle. The head is wrapped in an absorbent material and fed with a solution from a backpack tank. The flow of solution is controlled by a simple clamp along a tube between the tank and the head. However, the mop does not lay down enough solution because the head is simply gravity fed. The absorbent material is also too small for waxing large commercial spaces.
A mop disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,084 to Melton et al. is comprised of a very wide rigid head with a cotton wick. The solution is fed through the head by a pressurized backpack tank. However, the plunger pump handle cannot be operated while the tank is worn on the worker, so that the tank must be taken off periodically to be pressurized again. The head is so wide that it cannot be moved in the figure xe2x80x9c8xe2x80x9d pattern. The flow of the solution is also restricted by the cotton wick. Further, the cotton wick is too absorbent for waxing floors.
A mop disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,016 to Gotberg is comprised of a rigid mop head on a long handle. A pressurized solution tank is attached to the lower end of the handle. Sprayer nozzles under the handle are controlled by a control lever under a grip at the top end of the handle. Due to the weight of the tank on the head and the position of the control lever, the mop is limited to being pushed in front of the worker like a vacuum cleaner. The mop cannot wax the floor evenly with such a motion. Another mop disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 863,220 to Quimby is comprised of a solution tank pivotally attached to a mop head. The tank is tipped over to pour out the solution, but the flow rate is difficult to control, and the coverage is not as even as a sprayer. A hand broom disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,557 to Reed is comprised of a broom brush with a sprayer, but the brush bristles are too stiff for waxing floors. A paint applicator shown in U.S. Pat. No. 927,872 to Price is comprised of a paint brush fed by a pressurized backpack tank, but the plunger pump handle cannot be operated while the tank is worn.
Accordingly, the objectives of the present floor mop are:
to apply a wax solution to a hard floor evenly for economy and faster drying;
to apply the solution quickly;
to be easily movable in a figure xe2x80x9c8xe2x80x9d pattern to spread the solution;
to carry the solution in a backpack tank for convenience;
to have the tank pressurized for feeding the solution quickly;
to have a pressurization pump which is operable while the tank is worn; and
to have a sprayer control valve which is easily operable while moving the mop in the Figure xe2x80x9c8xe2x80x9d pattern.
Further objectives of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The present mop is comprised of a head attached to the lower end of a long handle. The head is narrow enough to be moved in a figure xe2x80x9c8xe2x80x9d pattern. Flexible rayon cords are attached to the head for proper absorbency and texture to avoid streaking. A backpack tank holding a solution is connected by a tube to a sprayer nozzle outside the head for evenly applying the solution on a floor. The tank is pressurized by a pressurizing pump which is operated by a pivoting lever projecting in front of the tank. The lever is positioned at waist level so that it is operable by the worker while the tank is worn. A sprayer control valve is attached along the tube on the handle to control spraying. The valve is offset about 90 degrees relative to the nozzle about the axis of the handle for easy reach.